IT’S on the television! It’s in the magazines! It’s pumped out our stereos at every given opportunity!

Sex continues to be one of society’s biggest talking points, whether it be in the school playground, the local pub or at a meal with friends, we always seem to come back to that all-important three-letter word.

But imagine if we gave it up. No more pressure to perform! No more unwanted mishaps! No more scouring the papers for our Dear Deirdre self-help guide!

For one Leicestershire organisation, they are taking their ‘no sex’ attitude very seriously.

Denise Pfeiffer, 26, is the founding director of an organisation called ‘Celibrate.’

Since a teenager Denise has been appalled by the way our society views sex and has decided to set up a website for those who would prefer to live a celibate lifestyle.

She told the Echo: “When I was a teenager there was no advice available for those who wanted to live a life without sex. Being a virgin or waiting until marriage is seen as a taboo.

“People are afraid to say it. It is seen as abnormal while admitting you are a

nymphomaniac or having an affair, well, no-one would flinch.”

The website has only been up and running for three months but the guest book seems to have hit a note with a number of interested people.

Denise added: “I expected a lot of church and religious people but we have had a massive response from people outside of that group.”

Denise told me about some of the male and female groups who have connected with the website. They include, widows, virgins, asexuals, couples waiting for marriage and people who have not enjoyed a number of sexual experiences.

But surely it is part of human nature to crave for physical attraction?

Denise said: “We are driven to crave love and affection. Love and sex are two different things. It’s sad if people feel they need sex to feel physically attractive.

Sex for me isn’t important and doesn’t make you a human-being.”

Brian Brown is a principal lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University.

Despite the prevalence of what he calls ‘the raunch culture’ he believes it’s harder to establish a romantic relationship these days.

He said: “People are expecting sex to carry more weight nowadays. It has to be more regular, more passionate, more earth shattering all of the time.

“Perfection and frequency have played major roles in our sex life and no wonder it is a source of frustration for those who practice it.

“I think more people are getting tired by its expectations and are finding it harder to fit into their everyday lives.”

Judith Stevenson, relationship counsellor from Relate in Leicestershire, isn’t surprised people are changing to a ‘no sex’ attitude.

She said: “Sex is an issue for quite a lot of people seeking counselling and it evolves around one who doesn’t get it feeling rejected and the one who doesn’t want it, feeling pressurised. Sex isn’t the be all and end all of a relationship but it does play a part.”

In conclusion, it is fair to say that our attitudes to sex have changed dramatically over the last 20 years. What was once an intimate engagement between two people is now portrayed as a playful social activity, on par with your favourite arcade game.

But is the only way to make sex credible banning it altogether or until one feels compelled to get married?

Personally, I think not. But in a society run by what we read and hear, it is a sad state of affairs to see people fall for what the majority say ‘yes’ too.